Automatic air-line coupling.



F. I. HOLLCROFT.

AUTOMATIC AIR LINE COUPLING. APPLICATION F|LED NOV- 30. I914.

12%,9651 a Patented Dec. 26,1916.

i 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. J. HOLLCROFT.

AUTOMATIC AIR LINE COUPLING.

APPLICATlON FILED NOV- 30. l9l4.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Laeaeee.

FLAVIOUS J. HQLLCROFT, 0F JENKS, 0K1: 31

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented nee. so, rare.

Application filed Novemberw, 1914, Serial No. 874,806.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fmvrous J. Hora.- onor r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jenks, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air-Line Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car air line couplers, and more particularly relates to auxiliary coupling devices to automatically couple the extending ends of the train air lines.

As a principal object, this invention contemplates the provision of an auxiliary coupler which shall so'automatically engage the air lines of each car of a train as to obviate the necessity: of manual interference between the cars.

A further object is to provide .a coupler which shall be resiliently engageable to effect a perfect mating joint between the portions of the device carried by separate cars.

It is a further and particular object to provide a device of this character in-which.

shallbe incorporated means preventing any displacement of the coupler portions when the train is taking a curve.

An object of equal importance with the f regoing is to provide an automatic aux iliary coupler which shall be constructed ofv so few and'comparatively simple elements as ,to readily permit of convenient instal-' ment, adjustment or replacement of parts.

"The above and additional objects which will become apparent as this explanatory description proceeds, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodr. ment of this invention as it is reduced to practice and throughout the several views, of which like characters of reference designate similar parts: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of the auxiliary coupler portions as automatically looked upon the coupling of two cars, Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryv1ew similar to Fig. 1, showing the coupler portions at their initial moment of contact,

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken through meeting coupler porjtions, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4'4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of. the coupler heads, Fig. 6 is an elevation of a coupler face, and Fig. 7 is an.

enlarged sectional view of the resilient support for each coupler portion shown in Fig. 3.

With reference to the drawings, the characters A and B denote the sills of a pair of coupled cars, such sills .serving to support in the usual manner the draw bars 10'with their customary coupler heads 11 whereby the cars are connected. Below this main coupling is to be situated the automatic air coupling comprehended by this invention and supported by suitable brackets 12 secured to'the sills A and B bymeans 13 and suitably apertured to slidably receive the auxiliary coupling bars 14 which as indicated in Fig 3 and 4 are preferably square 1n cross sectlon to prevent undeslrable rotational movement; F orwardly each of these coupler bars carries an. enlarged head portion 15 to which is secured by removable bolts 16, the main head, portion 17 which in case of injury may be thus replaced with- .out necessitating removal of the entire head.

- The main head 17 is stepped as indicated 23 formed upon the extension 19 for contact with suitable stops24= carried by the main-head in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 in order to limit swinging movement of each coupler head. r

\ Each of the meeting portions 20 is formed with a pyramidal recess 25 the mouth of which is surrounded, b a resilient gasket 26 formed preferably 0 rubber and secured to the face of the portion 20 by some ineans such as 27. At the central inner portion of j that the operation of t the pyramidal recess there connects the duct .or passageway 28 fromthe stem 19whence it extends downwardly as indicated at 29 into the stem 21 which is provided with a cut out portion 30, as shown in Fig. 4 in order to permit of communication between the passageway 29 and horizontal passageway 31 extendingthrough'the bar 14. The rearward extremlty of this baris provided with a recess 32 in which is seated an ex .pansible coiled spring 33 also surrounding the projecting extremity 34 01: the train air line 35 suitably supported in a bracket device'36. A stop 37 is carried by the bar 14 in order to limit the movement of the coupl r as determined by the. spring 33. From the foregoing it will be apparent his automatic coupler is as follows: Under the influence of the rearspring 33 the coupler is resiliently supported in that position illustrated in Fig. 2 with the enlarged head 20 projecting some distance beyond the upper main coupler head 11.- Upon the approach of a second 'car. similarly equipped with a projecting .coupler head these latter engage with their accordingly be claimed as possessing meeting gaskets 26 in contact while the nearer approach of the two cars forces the couplers against the action of the springs'33 backward through the supports 12 until the stems 34 of the train air line enter the rear, recesses 32 and establish communication with the ducts 31, whereby the air is enabled to flow from the train line through one of these ducts and the duct 29 through the common chamber formed by the meeting re-. cesses 25 and similarly through the second coupler to conduct the airline the length of the train. I thIt will be apparent that means have been us sente objects of this inventlon may be accomplished and that this invention -mg1y' t e advantages and desirability forth in such objects.

What is claimed a type set forth, a ste ped head, a conical passage formed in sai head, a coupling head, and a stem formed on said coupler adapted to be supported in said passage to" pivotally (provided whereby the previously presaid head, a stem' formed integrally with said. coupler and seated in said passageway, and a passage connecting through said stem and said coupler with the recess of the latter.

4. In an auxiliary coupler of the, type I coupler w1th said recess, and a resilient gasket adapted to inclose said recess to form an airtight contact with a similar coupling device.

5. In an auxiliary coupler of the type set forth; a stepped head, a coupler resting in the stepped portion of said head, a conica passageway formed in said head,an integral stem formed on said coupler and extending into said passageway to pivotally mount sa1d coupler for a swinging movement, means preventing the unseating of said stem from said passageway, and stop means limiting such swinging movement.

6. An auxiliary coupler of the type set forth including a head, a. body portion mounted for longitudinal reciprocatlon, resilient means normally tending to maintain said coupler at'its outermost limit, a stepped head removably secured to said first head, a

conical passageway formed in said head a coupler purpose set forth. w 7. An air line coupler of the type set forth including a bar formed with a lon 'tudinal passage and ha one end recesse to communicate 'withsa1d aperture, an enlarged head formed on said bar, a stepped head removably secured to said first head, a cou-1 pler pivotally mounted within said stepped 1. In an auxiliary coupling device of the head, a stop arm "carried-by-said coupler,

coacting stop means secured to said stepped head, a train line pipe projecting into said bar recess for communication with said passage, and resilient means surrounding said pipe and receivable within said recess for separating said pipe and said bar.

8. A train a1r line coupler includin a supporting bracket, a bar reciprocable w1thin said bracket and formed with a longitudi- -nal passage, a stepped coupler head carried by said bar a coupler pivotally mounted in said stepped head, coacting stop means limiting pivotal movement of said cou ler with respect to said head,'a train air e pipe alined with the passage in said-bar, means normally separating said pipe and said bar but compressible to permit communication between saici pipe and said passage, means In testimomj whereof I afix my signature for continuing said passage through said in presence of two witnesses.

pivoted coupler, and stop means carried. by FLAVIOUS J. HOLLCROFT. said bar and coacting with said. bracket for Witnesses: 5 limiting movement of separation between Joe HAYWARD,

Sam bar and safl pipe. J. M. Memwe, 

